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Paris Attractions & Activities
Historic Sites

 

Ready to look into the past and learn about the heritage of this fascinating city? We list historic homes, plantations, battlegrounds, and churches that are rich in history and provide for an educational travel diversion.

 

Cimetière de Montmartre

Address: 20, av Rachel, Paris 75018

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This historic and incredibly picturesque cemetery is the resting place of many of Paris's most famous citizens. Wander among the mature trees, observing beautifully crafted mausoleums, commemorative statues, and heartfelt inscriptions. Among the tombs of well-known personages you'll find are those of composer Hector...

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Address: 6, rue du Repos, Paris 75020

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Named for Louis XIV's confessor, who once lived in the vicinity, this cemetery was established in 1804. It was planned as a repository for human remains when authorities sought to improve sanitation by moving graves from the center of the city to its outskirts. Now park-like in its appeal, Père Lachaise is a...

Cimetière Montparnasse

Address: 33, av du Maine, Paris 75014

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This calm, park-like cemetery shelters many famous Parisians. A virtual city of tombstones, grave markers and mausoleums, Montparnasse is beautifully maintained. You'll often find visitors there, searching out the graves of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, writer Guy de Maupassant, and composer Camille Saint-Saëns. Also...

Hôtel National des Invalides

Address: Esplanade des Invalides, Paris 75007

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This gorgeous architectural gem, completed in the 17th century, is located in the city's Faubourg-St-Germain region. It was created by Louis XIV as a home for aged soldiers and disabled veterans. Among its prominent features are a sweeping esplanade, a series of gardens, and a striking domed church, where military...

Paris Catacombs

Address: 1, pl Denfert-Rochereau, Paris 75014

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Skulls and Bones These underground tunnels date from the Roman period, when quarries were created to obtain building stone. Most sit at the base of Parisian hills like Montparnasse, Montrouge and Montsouris. In the late 18th-century, authorities began to use the caverns and tunnels to deposit bones exhumed from medieval cemeteries...

Place de la Concorde

Address: pl de la Concorde, Paris 75008

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This impressive square in the heart of the city has seen an incredible amount of history. Created by Louix XV and completed in 1763, it eventually hosted the guillotine that put to death Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Danton and Robespierre. Today, it features a variety of statues, along with the prominent Obelisk of...

Pont Alexandre III

Address: quai d'Orsay, near Exposition Universelle halls, Paris 75008

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Often considered Paris's most beautiful bridge, Pont Alexandre III was built in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition. It links the 7th and 8th arrondissements across the Seine, and its graceful arch bears the arms of both Russia and France. The bridge is renowned for offering expansive views of nearby Invalides. It's...

Versailles

Address: pl d'Armes, Paris

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This wonderfully extravagant palace, where royals frittered away much of the treasury, is a necessary stop for visitors. Top designers of the day created an ornate complex of gardens, lakes, stables and guest houses to complement the luxuriously furnished palace, where Louis XIV, XV and XVI lived before the kingdom...